(57) A sealing apparatus or humidor (50; 200) selectively seals an orifice (80) of a hollow
ink needle (75) used to transport ink (45) from a reservoir (40; 40') to a printhead
(30; 30') of an inkjet printing mechanism (20). The humidor (50) has a resilient elastomeric
body (52) that forms a needle parking core (82; 202) where the body (52) extrudes
into the needle orifice (80) to form a pseudopod plug (88) that seals the orifice
(80). Alternatively, the humidor body (202) is a foam material surrounded by a substantially
moisture impervious skin (205) that defines a humidically isolating parking core.
Inserting the needle (75) through the humidor (50; 200) pierces the body (52, 202)
to either extract ink (45) from the reservoir (40; 40') or infuse ink (45) into the
printhead (30: 30'). During refilling, or replacement of the reservoir or printhead
(40,40'; 30,30'), the needle (75) is retracted into the humidor (50; 200) until the
orifice (80) is surrounded by the parking core (82; 202). The humidor body (52; 202)
humidically isolates the needle orifice (80), which virtually eliminates ink spills,
drying or contamination of the ink (45) within the needle (75), and prevents operator
injury by the needle tip (78).
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